1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable equipment for forming a stage platform of variable height. The stage platform of the present invention is stable at each of the heights to which it can be adjusted. Particularly, the present invention is directed to variable height staging including a platform panel pivotally attached to a cross brace member by a slot and groove assembly. Engaged within and extending from the slot and groove assembly is a cross leg that, in combination with a second cross leg, provides the support for the platform panels that form the staging. The two cross legs are fastened to each other by a center joint located approximately midway along the length of each cross leg. Relative movement about the center joint of the cross legs adjusts the height of the variable height staging of the invention. By locking the end of the cross leg within a groove of the slot and groove assembly, the resulting height of the staging can be secured. A telescoping arm having a securing pin also is provided between the cross legs to further secure the resulting height of the staging. The present invention further includes a method of assembling the variable height staging.
2. Description of Related Art
A frequent component of the activities of civic, educational, religious, and charitable and corporate organizations is, for example, musical or dramatic performances to an audience. The audience's ability to view and enjoy such performances is greatly enhanced when the performers are elevated on a stage above ground level. Preferably, if the performance includes many individuals, it is desirable to have multiple levels of staging above ground level to optimize the audience's ability to view all of the performers. For the safety of the performers and the audience, the staging should be stable for every height at which it is used.
Despite the frequent need for staging in their activities, many organizations do not have access to facilities with permanent stage platforms. Consequently, when staging is needed, the organization must rent or otherwise procure the equipment, assemble the equipment, and, after the performance, dismantle the equipment. Because of the temporary nature of the staging used by some organizations, it is desirable to have staging that is, among other desirable properties, easy to set-up, stable during use, easy to store, and easy to transport. It is also desirable to have staging that is adjustable to more than one height, thereby eliminating the need for having multiple units each capable only of forming a single stage height.
Some stagings currently available do not provide adequate stability when assembled to provide an elevation higher than the initial fixed elevation. For example, telescoping portions of legs and supports have been used in isolation to adjust the height of staging platforms. The telescoping portion of the leg or support is extended, typically to a preset distance, and then is secured by inserting a pin into a hole located at a preset point along the leg or support. The telescoping portion for each leg or support of the staging is extended to the same preset distance, so that each leg or support is at the same height after increasing the elevation of the staging. If not adequately braced, however, the more a telescoping portion is extended, the more unstable the staging platform will become. To a certain extent, this may due to the telescoping portion being substantially hollow and smaller in diameter than the non-telescoping portion of the leg or support. The telescoping portion generally is substantially hollow to reduce weight and accommodate holes being formed at predetermined distances for insertion of the pins. The instability of such staging is evidenced by wobbling that occurs as performers move onto and off of the platform of the staging.
Another disadvantage of telescoping leg portion mechanisms for increasing the height of the staging is that each leg or support must be individually adjusted. This creates the possibility that the legs or supports may not be evenly adjusted. Uneven adjustment results in an uneven and unsteady platform surface.
Additionally, the staging currently available often is limited to only two or three different height adjustments. This is a disadvantage when the performing group has many members or requires more than three heights of stage for the choreography of the performance. Particularly, staging having telescoping leg portions is frequently limited to three different heights; the limiting factor being the number of preset holes that can be formed in the telescoping portion of the legs for pin insertion.
In view of the above, there remains a need for staging that is easy to transport and store, is simple to assemble, has improved stability when assembled, and is adjustable to a variety of heights. A need also exists for a mechanism for increasing the platform height of temporary staging that reduces wobbling and that increases the number of heights at which the staging could be assembled. Greater flexibility in height thus increases the number and variety of performances that can be executed using the temporary staging.